The invention relates to a plug element for connecting supply lines for vehicle parts, in the housing of which element at least one line element having a fluid contact configured on it is disposed, which contact can be brought into functional engagement with a second plug element. According to the invention, the plug element can also be implemented within a plug system.
A vehicle part is generally understood to be components of truck and trailer combinations having a towing vehicle and a trailer vehicle coupled to it. Furthermore, individual vehicle parts of an individual vehicle are also addressed. The trailer vehicle can particularly be a semi-trailer, which can be locked into a semi coupling of the towing vehicle, with shape fit, by means of a kingpin disposed on the underside.
After mechanically connecting the towing vehicle and the trailer vehicle, it is necessary to plug the supply lines that are usually kept available on the towing vehicle into connections of the trailer vehicle provided for this purpose, in order to ensure supply of the trailer vehicle with compressed air, electricity, and, if necessary, also with control signals.
From the state of the art, it has become known to perform plugging in of the supply lines in automated manner, using a plug coupling system. DE 10 2004 024 333 A1 proposes, in this regard, to provide a support element mounted so as to pivot about the kingpin on the side of the semi-trailer, on the underside of which support element a first plug element is disposed, which engages into a second plug element on the towing vehicle side, when such a vehicle is present, when the semi-trailer is coupled onto it, and produces a connection of the plug elements. The first plug element is mounted to be laterally displaceable with regard to the support element, and supports itself, with regard to the latter, by means of a helical spring. The plug elements that are in functional engagement with one another have compressed air applied to them during driving operation, thereby causing forces in the plug separation direction. For this reason, it is necessary to hold the plug elements together, in their connected position, by way of the pressure force of the helical spring. The significant disadvantage of the known plug coupling system lies in that in the event of a failure of the helical spring, separation of the plug elements and the resulting traffic hazards can occur.
Accordingly, the invention was based on the task of making available a plug element that remains in an operationally safe position without the biasing force of a spring element.